Local climates of Vardar, Struma and Mesta valleys (Balkan peninsula) according to the modified Köppen climate classification

Abstract

The Köppen classification is commonly used and helpful for characteristics of different climate types and their changes. Available maps based on this classification are dealing with continental and worldwide zones. This is the reason mountainous territory of the Balkans to be defined as zones with cold or high mountain climate without further details. The main aim of the study is detail classification of the territory of Vardar, Struma and Mesta in the view of the Köppen system and establishing the inner zones variability trough time. In order to achieve this goal we use the SAT (surface air temperature) and precipitation data from meteorological stations located in key areas of the valleys. We build 30 year moving average to present climate fluctuations in these areas according to the modified Köppen classification. Results show that index changing is variable through the different periods but there has a tendency for general reduction of the annual precipitation in the whole period of observation.

Keywords

• climate change
• the modified Köppen classification
• Vardar
• Struma and Mesta valleys
• temperature
• precipitation